Kirsten Barajas of Soria School in Oxnard is named Ventura County Teacher of the Year

Oxnard teacher Kirsten Barajas, of Juan Soria School, is surprised in class by being named the Ventura County Teacher of the Year.
Alexa D'Angelo, Alexa.D'Angelo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0236

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Juan Lagunas Soria School students give sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas a big hug after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.(Photo: JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR)Buy Photo

Barajas’ students didn’t know what was going on, either, so when they saw their principal, Aracely Fox, walk in with flowers, they thought everyone had come to celebrate their teacher’s recent birthday. So they erupted into singing “Happy Birthday.”

But when they found out what was really going on, they all jumped up and rushed to hug their teacher.

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Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth, left, and Oxnard School District Superintendent Cesar Morales pose for a photo with Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas receives a hug from her daughter Olivia as her husband Luis and her two sons Bobby and Emery look on after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School students Syenna Ragan and Crystal Alcaraz give their sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas a round of applause after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas, left, poses for a photo with Principal Aracely Fox after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School teacher Kirsten Barajas poses for a photo with her sixth-grade classes after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas poses for a photo with her husband Luis, her daughter Olivia and her two sons Emery and Bobby after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School student Breyzi Resendiz gives her sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas a big hug after she received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday in Oxnard.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teachers Aracely Martinez, left, and Kirsten Barajas pose for a photo after Barajas received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award. The two are best friends and have been working together for 20 years.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School student Alyssa Tapia hugs sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas after Barajas received the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Juan Lagunas Soria School sixth-grade teacher Kirsten Barajas receives the 2018 Ventura County Teacher of the Year Award from Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Stan Mantooth on Tuesday.
JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR

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“She brings her passion, heart and soul,” said Cesar Morales, superintendent of the Oxnard School District. “She puts a lot of herself into every interaction with kids, and she makes learning fun and come alive because she genuinely enjoys every minute she’s in front of kids.”

Barajas is in her 19th year as an educator in the district and her ninth at Juan Soria. She currently teaches sixth-grade math and English language arts to dual-language immersion students.

Barajas was nominated by Fox and selected by a committee that included last year’s teacher of the year, Leah Oviedo.

“As soon as I saw the requirements, she was the only teacher that really came to mind,” Fox said. “And as I looked at that, I thought, ‘No, this is her.’ This was the first time I (nominated), but I felt that it really captured everything she is, and I felt I had to do it.”

Among those there Tuesday afternoon were dignitaries from the Ventura County Office of Education and district board and members of Barajas’ family, including her mother, Maren Candaele.

“We come from a whole family of teachers,” Candaele said. “Both my kids are teachers, my husband is a teacher, both my sisters are teachers and lots of nieces and nephews are teachers, so it kind of runs in the family. She grew up around her dad always being around kids and having kids come over and stuff.”

Empathy and kindness are among the cornerstones of Barajas’ approach to teaching. In collaboration with her students, she developed a kindness initiative centered on the book “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio, which inspired students to commit random acts of kindness within their community. She was also instrumental in helping the school cope with the loss of a student to leukemia.

Another big pillar of her teaching style is forging connections with students and understanding and teaching the whole child.

“Some of these things the kids go through, if I didn’t make the connections, I wouldn’t find out what’s going on in their lives,” Barajas said. “And some of the things are not good. So I try to brighten their day through knowledge, but also through fun. I try to have fun and add in dabs and flossing and I learn all the (dance) moves for them. They like it. I get a reaction from them, so I continue it and then I say, ‘OK, now it’s time to learn how to divide with fractions.’”

In addition to her daily teaching duties, Barajas volunteers as a coach and tutor and serves as the lead adviser for the school’s Associated Student Body. She also organized the school’s relief effort during the devastating Thomas Fire.

“It’s the kids,” Barajas said of her favorite part of going to work each day. “They are just happy to see me, so you feel good when someone wants to see you. And I get to teach them. I love math and I love language arts, but I love bringing in the real world to them and real-life experiences and current events.”

Barajas said she tells her students and her own children to find what they are good at and what they love and try to make a career doing that.

“I love coming to work every day,” Barajas said. “We are a family at Soria. I come to school, I love to see my kids and then I love to see the people who work here. And I feel completely supported, and I wake up and I want to actually come to work.”

Barajas is now eligible to be considered for the 2019 California Teacher of the Year award.